We returned to Isla Mujeres for our 4th season of sailfish action aboard the Lilly M and Andrea M of Keen M International. Captains Anthony, Rogelio and David did an outstanding job as usual. Despite challenging weather conditions and fluctuations in the activity, each trip was huge success with epic sailfish baitball action. In addition, we encountered many other species of marine life, and scored some terrific interactions.

In our first trip, Richard Branson and his family joined us to give the sailfish a try. Having already experienced the whale shark aggregations in July, he was ready to turn up the heat several notches and experience one of the most exciting and intense marine spectacles found anywhere in the Ocean. Also with me was my good friend John Petry who was trying his hand at a “Shawn Epic” for the first time. Lawrence kindly invited us as guests to join him on the his vessel the Chachalaca for some incredible action!

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The trip was a huge success with baitballs lasting for hours and sailfish ripping apart the sardines just inches from our masks. We also swam with groups of giant mantas, a whale shark. One curious manta decided to give Richard a closer look, coming nose to nose before ducking right under him. For Richard’s son Sam, his interaction with a whale shark was a first in his lifetime. Everyone left with huge smiles, excited to return to Isla again from more marine mega-fauna activity.

I also had a second group with me during that first week. Sean Havas, Sterling Zumbunn (Backscatter) and my older brother Brett Heinrichs. The group was incredibly proficient in the water and I even struggled to keep up with the furious pace that we chased down baitball after bait ball. Day one we landed a 3 hour baitball and another 2 hour baitball. Day 2 was much the same. Day 3 and 4 I was off the boat and the success continued without me. Day 5 we regrouped and found sails again, but this time conditions had turned and we called it an early day. Overall the trip was a huge success and everyone came back with epic imagery.

I was lucky to join Shawn during his 2nd week. I was shooting the 10-17 on a Canon 7D which I mostly left it at 10. Often too wide, but that just means you have to get closer Plus, the action moves so fast that the sailfish can be right on top of you in a split second, so better to be too wide than too zoomed. It seems a great full frame set up might be the 15mm + 1.4 t/c...

A bit of a struggle for us - we got shut out for the first 3 days, even though we had bright sunny skies. Day 2 we could see the sailfish jumping all around us but no organized action to get in on and we didn't even get wet on day 3. Day 4 made up for it with a baitball that lasted 4 hours - awesome (and tiring!). Day 5 we had 20+ knot winds and 8-10 ft seas - again we didn't even get wet. Our final day we got in on another baitball that lasted over 2 hours, but the water was pretty green. Still, I came away with some good stuff and had a great time with all the other adventurers. I'll be back again next year!!

Phil

Phil Sokol
Canon 5D3 and 7D, Nauticam and Subal, an assortment of strobes and too many damn lenses!
"Hey Dean! How do you work this crazy thing?!" Jerry Lewis

Viewfinder is useless. I recommend practicing a LOT eyeing up shots and framing by feel. Your eyes must be on the action to capture the split moment when the fish lights up and strikes...not easy but with practice....

[quote name='shawnh' date='Mar 10 2012, 06:04 PM' post='304051']Viewfinder is useless. I recommend practicing a LOT eyeing up shots and framing by feel. Your eyes must be on the action to capture the split moment when the fish lights up and strikes...not easy but with practice....

Great shots Shawn!

I call that "hip shooting" or "shooting blind"....I got a good lesson from Jim Abernethy right after he kicked my ass for looking through the viewfinder at Tiger Beach! I got some decent shots of the sailfish using this technique ( not as good as yours Shawn) using a 10-22, but wished I was using my 10-17 FE. I find I still point the camera a little to high...always have to remember to point down another 5 degrees.